CARDIFF: The Anthony Joshua roadshow is about to go global, and it’s going to be a wrench for the British boxing superstar.
Joshua cemented his status as a sporting icon in his native land by attracting 78,000 fans to watch him fight an unheralded mandatory challenger for his IBF belt. Where “AJ” goes, people follow — and on Saturday it was to the Welsh capital Cardiff, where Joshua ground down Carlos Takam to force a 10th-round stoppage.
Since becoming heavyweight champion in April 2016, Joshua has fought at four British venues — London’s O2 Arena (16,000 fans), Manchester Arena (21,000 fans), London’s Wembley Stadium (90,000 fans) and Cardiff’s Principality Stadium (78,000 fans) — and filled out each one.
He is 20-0 (all by knockout), owns the WBA and IBF belts, and is resetting his targets as he heads into 2018.
“We were at a learning level when we first started,” Joshua, who turned pro in 2012 after winning gold at the London Olympics, said in the bowels of the Principality Stadium early Sunday. “Then we went British level — a bit tougher, all about reputation and pride — and then we entered into the world level. Now, we are at the level where we want to own the division.”
And that likely means growing his “brand” — a term used by Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn — by fighting abroad, most likely in the United States. The Middle East has also been touted as an option.
Joshua’s epic victory over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley in April rocketed him into boxing’s global consciousness, with two US television networks broadcasting the fight. His style of boxing — spectacular, explosive — is proving a big pull and should win over US audiences when he eventually crosses the Atlantic to fight there for the first time.
Expect that to happen next year.
“At the moment, here,” Hearn said, when asked where the money is in heavyweight boxing. “But if you get it right, then in America. I think we need a clear plan moving forward.
“Every show is iconic with Anthony. There are images and footage that go to people all around the world ... I don’t think it’s really been done before. To go to another country, and maybe into a 3,000 or 4,000-seater arena, just for a bit more money? AJ has always wanted to put on shows. There isn’t a show like an AJ show in world boxing and we don’t really want to walk away from that.”
Joshua has said repeatedly that the UK scene is where heavyweight boxing is really thriving, with fellow Brit Tyson Fury having initially shaken up the division by beating Klitschko in November 2015 to win the WBA, IBF and WBO titles.
“In British heavyweight boxing, it’s hard to get that respect,” the 28-year-old Joshua said. “There was always the USA and now we have fighters wanting to come here and fight. That’s nice. I do like that.”
Yet he also knows, long term, he has to crack America.
Having dealt with the awkward challenge of Takam, a squat, durable fighter from France who took Joshua to the second-longest bout of his professional career, the champion has a vague plan for 2018 that could involve three fights.
Fulfil his obligations by taking on a mandatory for his WBA belt — “I’m focusing on keeping my belts, by any means,” Joshua said — potentially in April and then a unification fight in the summer against either WBO champion Joseph Parker or WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
Parker, a New Zealander who lives in Las Vegas, is more likely to be the first one up for Joshua.
“I think it will be a bigger fight with Wilder down the road than it is now,” Joshua’s trainer, Robert McCracken, said. Joshua, sitting beside McCracken, nodded in agreement.
London is Joshua’s home, but Hearn says Cardiff could be Joshua’s “winter home,” and there is no shortage of other venues that would be keen to play host to the biggest boxing show in town.
Joshua is taking it all in his stride, accepting the pressure of a nation and thriving on it. He says he is maturing as a fighter, using his jab more to get control and using the early rounds to work out his opponents rather than going flat-out from the opening bell.
That’s what he did against Takam.
“He’ll learn from this, he’ll move on, grow stronger, get a bit smarter,” McCracken said. “And at the end of the journey, hopefully he’ll be the full package.”
Joshua roadshow to go global as boxing star resets ambitions
Joshua roadshow to go global as boxing star resets ambitions
Al-Fateh grab second win on the trot, Al-Taawoun keep up pressure in title race
- Al-Fateh win 2 consecutive games for the first time this season and move to 11 points
- Al-Taawoun grab late winner against last-placed Al-Najma to stay within 4 points of Al-Nassr
RIYADH: Matchday 12 of the Saudi Pro League got underway on Monday with Al-Khaleej hosting Al-Fateh in the first of the evening’s three fixtures.
Despite producing a strong display in a 3-2 loss to Al-Hilal last week, Al-Khaleej lost 1-0 to Al-Fateh, with Matias Vargas scoring the decisive goal.
Al-Fateh’s strategy was clear: Moroccan midfielder Sofiane Bendebka would be flanked by Mourad Batna and Vargas in a fluid attacking set-up, allowing him to drift between a second-striker role and deeper midfield positions.
The free-flowing forwards enabled Al-Fateh to take control of the final third, with Batna cutting in from the right flank proving to be a dangerous asset in Al-Fateh’s arsenal.
That combination paid dividends in the 41st minute, when Batna delivered a diagonal ball across the pitch to find Vargas, who calmly chipped the ball over Anthony Moris to open the scoring.
It marked the Argentinian’s fourth goal in three matches, with his recent form directly contributing six points — more than half of Al-Fateh’s total this season.
Al-Khaleej were unable to replicate the same intensity shown against Al-Hilal, despite the introduction of club top scorer Joshua King after the break and Pedro Rebocho’s marauding role down the left.
Their clearest opportunity came in the 68th minute, when Rebocho squared the ball to Giorgos Masouras only for his effort to hit the post.
Al-Fateh then adopted a more cautious approach, looking to exploit Al-Khaleej on the counter. They nearly doubled their lead in the 88th minute when Vargas teed up Bendebka, but the midfielder’s powerful backheel crashed against the woodwork.
The defeat marks a slowdown for Al-Khaleej after an encouraging start to the campaign, with this being their third consecutive loss, now leaving them on just 14 points from 11 matches.
Elsewhere, Al-Hazem travelled to the capital to face Al-Riyadh, securing a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Nawaf Al-Habashi and Omar Al-Somah.
The Syrian striker netted his 157th Saudi Pro League goal, extending his lead over Abderazzak Hamedallah at the top of the all-time scoring charts and helping Al-Hazem move further clear of the relegation zone.
In Qassim, third-placed Al-Taawoun edged bottom side Al-Najma in a tightly contested encounter. A late strike from Roger Martinez in the 85th minute sealed a 1-0 win, Al-Taawoun’s ninth of the season, keeping them firmly in the title race.
Pericles Chamusca’s side have exceeded expectations with their stellar start to the season. The Wolves move into second with 28 points, two ahead of Al-Hilal in third and two behind league leaders Al-Nassr, with both sides still holding a game in hand.
It marks the best start to a Saudi Pro League season in Al-Taawoun’s history, a run that continues to surprise in a league filled with established stars.
Matchday 12 on Tuesday starts with Al-Ahli vs. Al-Fayha, followed by Al-Ettifaq vs. Al-Nassr and Al-Okhdood vs. Damac later in the evening.
